1)  Spring cleaning

First step to CNY is to clean your house! If you haven't already known, the Chinese believe that if you sweep your house during the New Year, you are "sweeping the good luck away", this is especially so for the first few days. Even if your family isn't the sort to believe such superstitions, I'm sure we would all want to present a tidy and cosy house to our friends and family who will be coming over right? So get your butts off the bed, start cleaning and get your house ready for good luck to arrive at your door step! 

2)  CNY shopping

There is always shopping for everything, isn't it? New year means new clothes! Train your stamina for a huge shopping spree for 15 days of the New Year. Usually, people spend about 5 days to complete their Chinese New Year visits so be sure to prepare at least 3-5 sets of new clothes.

If you are very much into this year's Lunar New Year mood, you can look out for traditional costumes (Cheongsam). Don't wear black, instead, wear colours that are bright.

How can we forget about shopping for Chinese traditional goodies?! The must-haves are pineapple tarts, love letters, kueh bangkit, pistachio nuts, bak kua, almond cookies. What's your favourite? Feel free to store your snacks like candies or nuts or cookies into adorable containers!

Another fun fact for you is to bake your own Chinese new year traditional goodies! Never try never know!

3)  Get your hair (and nails) done

New year, new me? Looks like it's time for a change! Go to the salon and get your hair done! It can be a new hairstyle, colour, length... your wish.

For the girls, it is almost a tradition to get our nails done for every special occasions and CNY is no exception! Choose a nail art design or simply go red. You can never go wrong with red!

4)  Decorate the house with RED & more

Red is the colour or symbol of good luck in Chinese culture and it is often used for New Year decorations. A simple DIY decoration is to use red packets angpao, fold them like origami into different shapes e.g. fish, lantern, coins. Another DIY idea is to give your doors or gates a new look; fresh paint! Alternatively, you can purchase Chinese New Year paintings, calligraphy or huge lanterns and hang them up around the house. If you want to do a better job at decorating then you can even buy potted plants or cherry blossom sakura flowers!

5)  Visit Chinatown

I was never one of those kids who would make a trip down to Chinatown every year, during the Chinese New Year period. So I decided to give it a shot last year and surprisingly I liked the atmosphere there very much. As you walk down the packed alleys of Chinatown, they are filled with pretty Chinese New Year decorations with the surrounding filled with loud bargains and chirpy people waiting to try/see everything that comes into view. It really helps you to get into the mood! I wouldn't mind going there this year and the next few years to come! You can also make your trip worthy by doing your CNY clothing or goodies shopping there.

6)  Stay the night / Slumber party

Especially so for eve of Chinese New Year, make sure you spend the night late! It is not just for fun but there is a meaning behind it. The saying goes that the later the children stay up, the longer their parents will live.

Have a mini slumber party playing and betting over mahjong or poker games! Take this opportunity to have fun because it is the best time to do so without receiving complaints from your neighbours...

7)  Cook traditional dishes

Lend your parents and grandparents a helping hand in preparing the family reunion dinner and join in the fun! Pick up new recipes from the net or borrow a book from the library and get crackin'. 

8)  Visit friends (& relatives)